Method and apparatus for taking soundings



NOV. 1, 193 2. TQULY 1,885,652

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TAKING SOUNDINGS Filed Sept. 23. 1927 2Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 1, 1932. M. L. TOULY 1,385,652

' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TAKING souunmes Filed Sept. 23. 1927 2Sheets-Sheet 2 l l l l l l l l l l UNIT 1.

HARCEL I. TOULY, OF BOULOGNE-SUR-SEINE, FRANCE, ASSI GNOR I SOCIETE DECON- DENSATION ET DAPPLICATIONS MECANIQUES, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ACORPORATION OF FRANCE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TAKING SOUNDINGSApplication filed September 23, 1927, Serial No. 221,588, and in FranceOctober 28, 1928.

The present invention has for an object the utilization of a glowdischarge lamp as a relay in apparatus for sounding or signaling byelastic .waves.

The glow discharge lamps employed have the following necessaryproperties:

The lamp being extinguished, when the voltage impressed thereupon isgradually increased, a luminous discharge is suddenly produced for awell determined value of said voltage, which will hereinafter bereferred to as the upper critical voltage. The lamp being lighted, whenthe voltage impressed thereupon is gradually reduced, the luminousdischarge suddenly ceases for another well determined value of saidvoltage, which is lower than the value above referred to and which willbe called lower critical voltage.

If the lamp is connected to an auxiliary source of potential whichimpresses thereupon a voltage slightly lower than the upper criticalvalue, the lamp is rendered extremely sensitive to lighting.

In fact, a very weak increase in voltage, produced by the phenomenon tobe detected, is sufiicient for releasing an electric discharge so thatit will be possible toutilize either the illumination produced by saiddischarge or the relatively considerable current which flows through itby means of special devices for the desired result as will besubsequently pointed out.

The lamp may also be sensitized to the point of extinguishment, or lowercritical value, that is, the lamp being lighted, the auxiliary source ofpotential is so regulated as to impress upon the lamp a voltagecomprised between the upper critical value and the lower critical value.Any suitable temporary fall in the supply voltage brings the voltage ofthe lamp to a value less than the lower critical value, wherebyextinction is produced.

The description which follows, with regard to the annexeddrawings, givenby way of example, explains very well the manner in which the inventioncan be carried into practice.

Fig. 1 represents the electric diagram of a sounding apparatus in whichthe variations of illumination of a lamp as above described areutilized.

Fig. 1a is a modification of a part of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 represents the diagram of an optlcal arrangement of such asounding apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a side view.

Figs. 4 and 5 represent modifications in the mode of operation of thelamp.

Fig. 6 represents the wa in which a low voltage glow discharge tu ehaving a plurality of electrodes is utilized.

Fig. 7 represents an arrangement utilizing the relay effect of thedischarge current in a sounding apparatus or great depth sounder with anindicator.

Fig. 1 shows a supersonic sounder through which, in a well known manner,a signal is emitted and the echo thereof received.

Within the casingv 1 is a damped waves high-frequency emlttingapparatus, of a known type, fed by the direct current source 2'.

2 is a piezo-electric condenser for emission and reception ofultra-audible waves, having one face in contact with the sea-water. Itis supplied with electrical energy by the highfrequency emittingapparatus disposed within the casing 1 and it projects into the water ahigh frequency compressional wave. The latter apparatus is reversible.When compressional waves resulting from the echo strike the condenser 2,the latter enerates, in the electric circuits, a current havlng the samefrequency as the signal, but of very small amplitude.

The condenser 2 is connected with an amplifier mounted within a casing4. The output side of the amplifier 4 is connected by means of thetransformer 5 to the circuit of the relay lamp 6; This relaylamp willconsist in this case, for example, of a neon lamp of which theelectrodes are covered with alkalin earth with a view to diminishinmore-accurately determining the critica voltage.

The circuit of this relay neon lamp 6 comprises the transformer 5, apolarizing source 7 with a potentiometer 8 and a relay 9 of which thearmature 10 is placed in circuit wlth the lamp whlle the windingllisconand ' char ceding echo, goes out and the echo corresponding to thesignal relights it. The mode of operation of the system will besubsequent-- 1y explained. The mode of observing the lamp may be asfollows: (Fig. 2).

The'neon lamp is illustrated at 17. The luminous part comprises forexample a cylinder 59 of which the horizontal axis isshown at 52-53. Thearbor 54 turns at a constant speed and supports a mirror 55 and a lens56 which turn about the shaft 54. The image 57 of the lamp is castsubstantially in the plane of a circular graduated scale 58.

Fig. 3 shows the graduated scale 58. At 57 is the image of the lamp. Thesignal emltting device is so adjusted that the emission of a signalcoincides always with the same position of the rotary optical system.

The image of the lamp is displaced about the scale, disappears at theposition where the signal is emitted and reappears at the return of theecho for another position determining upon the graduated scale a darksector following a light sector which dark sector is proportional to thedepth or distance to be measured. a

The mode of operation of the arrangement is as follows:

The relay 9 is closed and the potentiometer 8 is adjusted on the battery7 in such wise that the voltage at the terminals of the lamp will beslightly below the upper critical voltage and above the lower criticalvoltage.

The lamp is supposed to have been lighted by a preceding echo. The relay9 is closed, the switch 3 is open. The condenser 12 is charged by thesource 2. The charging current passes through the polarized relay 9 andthe generator 1. The relay coil is wound in 5 such a direction that thecharging current tends to close the relay and as this latter is alreadyclosed by magnetic polarization the charging current produces no action.

At the moment of emission, the switch 3 is closed, the condenser 12 isdischarged in the relay 9 connected to switch'3. The relay 9 breaks thecircuit of the lamp and extinguishes said lamp. This circuit remainsopen'as long as the condenser 12 remains c arged and the charging factorof the condenser is so designed that the time for disglng condenser 12will be greater than the time of emission. In other words saidcondenser. 12 is so chosen that 10 will close the circuit of the lamp ata predetermined time after the signal is sent out.

When the condenser 12 is discharged the rela 9 closes but as the voltagefurnished by the attery 7 and the potentiometer 8 is un- 5 der the uppercritical voltage of the lamp,

the latter is not relighted. When the echo returns it is amplified bythe amplifier 4 and acts on the circuit of the relay lamp through thetransformer 5.

The connections are such that they ive an increase in voltage whichlights the amp 6 anew. There has been extinguishment of the lamp duringthe time between the emission of the signal and the return of the echoand the lamp will remain lighted until the emission of the followingsignal.

The position of the obscure sector on the graduated scale will bedetermined by suitable inscriptions which will indicate the depth ordistance sought.

If desired the operation may be reversed,

that isv to say, a luminous sector may be em-' ployed for determiningthe depth. In this case (Fig. 1) the voltage of the battery 7 will beregulated by 8 so that it is slightly above the lower criticalvoltageand the phenomenon to be detected will produce a temporarydecrease voltage. The circuit is then completed by a wire which connectsone of the electrodes of 6 to the extremity of battery 7 through aresistance 7 The operation is as follows:

The preceding echo puts out the lamp. During emission the relay opens,but instead of opening the lamp circuit the electrode remains connectedto the extremity of the bat- ,tery 7 and the lamp is lighted. When therelay closes the voltage on the lamp 6 is that of thev potentiometer.When the echo arrives it produces a decrease of voltage whichextinguishes the lamp. In order that the device may give good resultsthe decrease of voltage must last an appreciable time. This time will bediminished if instead of the transformer 5a a resistance couple such asshown in Fig. 4 be utilized and which willv be described further on.

Any suitable apparatus may be utilized for causing the emission to takeplace simultaneously with the operation of-the armature of relay 9. Inparticular, the principle of my invention would not be changed if theswitch 3 and the relay 9 were controlled mechanically by the samedevice; for example, by two cams fixed to the shaft of the motor whichrotates the optical arrangement, above described.

This principle of inversion may be applied to the following figureswithout changingthe principle of the invention.

Instead of producing an extinguishment of the lamp at the time of theemission and a lighting at the time of the echo, a flash could be verywell obtained at the time of the emission and then a second flash at thetime of the echo, the two flashes determining on the graduated scale asector proportional to the distance to be sounded.

In this case the flash of the lamp is produced by the'phenomena to beobserved, that is to say either by the emission of the elastic signal orby the reception ofthe echo by the condenser 2. But in this case it isnecessary to provide means by which, if the lamp is lighted, it willtend to be extinguished, so that only one flash-of the lamp is obtained.

Fig. 4 shows by way of example an arrangement of a mechanical opening.

condenserslfi and 16. This resistance 14 is' connected in the circuit ofthe lamp 17 The polarizing battery is here indicated at 18 and thepotentiometer at 19. A relay is likewise connected in series in thecircuit of the relay lamp. Its winding 20 is shunted through condenser21 and its armature 22 stops the current which passes through thewinding. If the relay is rapid and sensitive in action the condenser 21may be eliminated.

When there is no current flowing, the armature is urged to its closedposition. The current which passes through the winding 20 when the lamp17 is lighted is sufficient for.

operating the relay armature. The operation of the device .is asfollows:

The voltage of the battery 18 controlled by the potentiometer 19 isadjusted to be slightly below the upper critical voltage of lamp 17.

. Suppose thatthere is no current flowing in the circuit and thatarmature 22 of relay 20 is in its closed position.

If a variation in current is produced in the resistance 13, saidvariation once being established either by the emission of the signal orby the echo, the variation in voltage is transmitted to the resistance14 through condensers and 16. This variation in voltage becomesadded'tothe voltage of the battery 18 and causes a luminous discharge to bestarted in lamp 17. Current first of all flows through the capacity 21and it is only after a time determined by the value of this capacity andof the inductance of relay winding that current is established in saidwinding.

The relay is then operated. Armature 22 opens the circuit. The lamp goesout but condenser 21 which was charged by the terminals of the winding20 is discharged across said terminals and maintains the circuit openfor a certain time. The armature 22 again makes contact, closes thecircuit and the whole device is ready for receiving a new over voltage.

In Fig. 4 is shown a- Fig.5 indicates,by way of example, anotherarrangement in which the current of the lamp instead of being arrestedmechanically by itself through a relay, is arrested electrically.

In this arrangement, as a modification, the connection between the lampcircuit and that of amplifier 4. is obtained through an autotransformer23. The battery 24 feeds through potentiometer 25, acondenser 26,through an impedance 27. The condenser 26 feeds the neon lamp 28 throughthe autotransformer 23. In the absence, of signals to besent the voltageof battery 2f]: is regulated below the upper-critical voltage bythepotentiometer 25.

As soon as an increase in voltage is produced in autotransformer 23 thelamp is lighted. Condenser 26 is discharged through lamp 28 andimpedance 27 is sufiiciently high as to not be able to maintain thedischarge through lamp 28.

The voltage at the terminals of the condenserdiminishes and when itreaches the lower critical value the lamp goes out.

' Condenser 26 is then recharged by battery 24 through resistance 27 andat the end of a relatively short time the whole device is ready tofunction anew.

' For more generality a neon or other lamp of lower pressure gas couldbe employed and which could have a plurality of electrodes interior andexterior of the tube. Fig. 6 indicates the arrangement in the case ofsuch a lamp.

A 29 indicates the neon relay lamp in which I there are two electrodes30 and 31 always on the interior of the tube which may be fed through animpedance 32 by a battery 33. The voltage of this battery is regulatedby a potentiometer 34 to be-below the critical voltage of the lamp. 1

An auxiliary electrode 35, outside the lamp for example, is associatedwith the transformer 36 of which the primary is connected to theamplifier 4, Fig. 1. The end of this circuit is led to a potentiometer37 connected to the battery 33.

The inventor has ascertained that a variation in voltage on theelectrode will bring about excitation of lamp 29 if it is extinguishedand sensitized, that is, close to its upper critical point. Inversely ifthe lamp is sensitized close to its lower critical pointextigigguishment may be produced by acting on All of the devicesdisclosed in connection gith the preceding figures may be employed ere.

Likewise the action ofa magnetic field on the discharge may be employedand the sensitizing of one or more electrodes may also be obtained by acontinuous or periodic voltage.

In Fig. 7 is shown an arrangement employing the relay effect of thecurrent of discharge in a .sounder of great depths by ultra sounds withan indicator.

As shown in Fig. 1 here 1 represents the emitter of'high frequencycurrent operated' by an ultra-audible waves projector 2. The

necessary 'current for the transmitter 1 is furnished by a source 2 andthe circuit can be opened by means of a switch 3. The echo amplifier isshown at 4. k r

The circuit of the neon lamp 6 is connected to the amplifier 4 by thetransformer 5. The polarizing source of the lamp is at? and may beregulated by the potentiometer 8. The winding of a first relay 38 isplaced 1n series in the lamp circuit with the armature of relay 9. Thearmature 39 of relay' 38 can arrest the current furnished by the batterywhich operates an electric timing device- Suppose the lamp to be lightedby a preceding echo. The relay 9 is closed. as well as the relay 39. Thecurrent of battery 40 passes through the timing device and blocks it.-The needle of the timing device is then placed on the zero position.

In order to send out a signal, switch 3 is closed and as in Fig. 1,relay9 is opened during the whole'time of the emission producing theextinguishment of the lamp 6 and the stopping of relay 38. The circuitof battery described, a signal transmitter for emitting 40 is opened,the electric timing. device 41 is released and the needle which wasprimarily on the zero point is displaced at a constant speed along thegraduated scale.

After the emission relay 9 closes but as the voltage of battery 7 islower than the upper critical voltage of the lamp, the lamp does notrelight and the electric timing device continues to function.

Whenthe echo arrives it is amplified by the amplifier 4 and acts bymeans of transformer 5 on theneon lamp. 7

- The connections of this transformer 5 are such that the echo gives atemporary increase of voltage and the lamp is relighted. The currentwhich passes through the lamp operates' the relay 38, the lamp circuitis closed and the timing device 41 is stopped. The needle is arrestedthen along the graduation and if the scale has been suitably graduatedthe depth sought may beread directly thereon.

In this device, as in Fig. 1 reverse operation may be obtained, that isto say, the lamp may be lighted at the emission and put out at thereceptio'nof the echo. The same slight modification employed inconnection with Fig. .1 is likewise necessary here for this reverseoperation.

a The form of the lamp and the electrodes may be such that the dischargetakes place between "two electrodes.

maybe arranged to varythe flash or displace the discharge, all of thesephenomena being The effect of the, auxiliary electrode and the magneticfield -enon produced.

In the resent invention the arrangement of these evices in receivingapparatus for signaling by elastic waves is likewise anticipate What Iclaim is:

1. In a sounding apparatus of the type described, electrical means fortransmitting and receiving elastic waves through water,

a low tension glow discharge tube in said means, means for bringing thistube at a tension near the tension at which a change occurs in itslighting state, means in series with said tube and adapted to out offand close the circuit of said tube, means to op crate said lastmentioned means at the time at which an electrical signal is sent but,means adapted to maintain open.the circuit of the tube during the timeof ,the emission signal, and to cause said circuit to be closed apredetermined time after the signal has been transmitted, means inseries with said tube and adapted for altering the excitation thereof,means for electrically connectin said last mentioned means to theelectrica means for receiving the echo signals whereby the tube is againlighted and caused to glow as'long as another signal is not transmitted.

2. In a sounding apparatus of the type waves into water, means fortransforming incoming elastic waves transmitted through water intoelectrical oscillations, an amplifier connected to the last-mentionedmeans,

tube to be brought back to a value within the above mentioned limits apredetermined time after the signal has been transmitted, means forcoupling said output circuit ofthe amplifier to said circuit of the tubeso arranged that the reception of an echo will produce avariation of thevoltage of said tube to a value outside of the above mentioned limitsbut in a direction opposed to that of the vaan output circuit for saidamplifier, another riation resulting from the emission of a signal, andmeans for recording the interval of time between the variations in theluminous state of the tube.

4' 3. In a sounding apparatus of the type described, a signaltransmitting for emitting elastic waves into water, means for transforming incoming elastic waves transmitted through water into electricaloscillations, an amplifier connected to the last mentioned means, anoutput circuit for said amplifier, another circuit, a low voltage glowdischarge tube in the second mentioned circuit, a source of potential insaid second mentioned circuit, said source being of such a voltage as tonormally impress upon said tube a tension comprised between its uppercritical voltage and its 'lower critical voltage, a switch for operatingsaid transmitter, means 0 eratively connected to said transmitter switcfor causing the tension of said tube to suddenly take a value outside ofthe above mentioned limits when a signal is emitted through saidtransmitter, means for causing the tension of said tube to be broughtback to a value within the above mentioned limits a predetermined timeafter the signal has been sent out, means for coupling said outputcircuit of the amplifier to said circuit of the tube so arranged thatthe reception of the echo will produce the variation of voltage of saidtube to a value outside of the above mentioned limits but in a directionopposed to that of the variation resulting from the emission of asignal, and means for recording the interval of. time between thevariations in the luminous state of the tube.

4. In a sounding apparatus of the type described, a signal transmitterfor emitting elastic waves into water, means for transforming incomingelastic waves transmitted throu h water into electrical oscillations, anampli er connected to the last mentioned means, an output circuit forsaid amplifier, another circuit, a low voltage glow discharge tube inthe second mentioned circuit, a source of potential in said secondmentioned circuit, said source being of such a voltage as to normallyimpress upon said tube a tension comprised between its upper criticalvoltage and its lower critical voltage, a

switch for operating said transmitter, a relay in series with saidtransmitter switch and adapted t6 break and make the circuit of saidtube a source of. current and a condenser in series with said switch andsaid relay for causing said relay to suddenly operate in such manner asto cause the tension of said tube to suddenly take a value outside ofthe above mentioned limits when a signal is emitted through saidtransmitter, said condenser being so chosen as to cause said relay toreturn to its initial position a predetermined time after a signal issent out, whereby the tension of said tube is brought back to a valuewithin the above mentioned limits, means for coupling said outputcircuit of the amplifier to said circuit of the tube so arranged thatthe reception of the echo will produce a variation of the voltage ofsaid tube to a value outside of the above mentioned limits but in.

a direction opposed to that of the variation resulting from the emissionof a signal, and

means for recording the interval of time between the variations in theluminous state of the tube.

5. In a sounding apparatus of the type described, a signal transmitterfor emitting elastic waves into water, means for transforming incomingelastic waves transmitted through water into electrical oscillations, anamplifier connected to the last mentioned means, an output circuit forsaid amplifier,

another circuit, a low voltage glow discharge tube in the secondmentioned'circuit, a source of potential in said second mentionedcircuit, said source being of such a voltage as to normally impress uponsaid tube a tension very slightly lower than the upper critical voltageof said tube, a switch for 0 rating said transmitter, a relay in serieswit said switch and adapted to'break and make the circuit of said tube asource of current, and a condenser in series with said switch and saidrelay for causing said relay to suddenly break the circuit of said tubewhen a signal is emitted through said transmitter, said transmitterbeing so chosen as to cause said relay to return to its initial positiona predetermined time after the sign 1 is sent out, whereby the tensionimpresse upon said tube is brought back to its initial value, means forcoupling said output circuit of the amplifier to said circuit of thetube so arranged that the reception of the echo will produce a variationof the voltage off said tube to a value outside of the above mentionedlimits but in a direction opposed to that of the variation resultingfrom the emission of a signal, and means for recording the interval oftime between the variations in the luminous state of the tube.

6. In a sounding apparatus of the type described, a signal transmitterfor emitting elastic waves into water, means for transforming incomingelastic waves transmitted through water into electrical oscillations, anamplifier connected to the last mentioned means, an output circuit forsaid amplifier, another circuit, a low voltage glow discharge tube inthe second mentioned circuit, a source of potential in said secondmentioned circuit, said source being of such voltage as to normallyimpress upon said tube a tension very slightly higher than the lowercritical voltage of said tube, an auxiliary source of potential, aswitch for operating said transmitter, a relay in series with saidswitch and adapted to insert said auxiliary source of potential in saidcircuit of the tube or to remove it therefrom, a source of current and acondenser in series with said switch and said relay for causing saidrelay to suddenly insert said auxiliary source of potential in saidcircuit of the tube when a signal is emitted through said transmitter,said condenser being so chosen as to cause said relay to return to itsinitial position a predetermined time after the signal is sent out,whereby the tension of said tube is brought back to its initial value,means for coupling said out ut circuit of the amplifier to said circuitthe tube so arranged that the reception of the echo will produce avariation of the voltage of said tube to a value outside of the abovementioned limits but in a direction opposed to that of the variationresulting from the emission of a signal, and means for recording theinterval of time between the variations in the luminous state of thetube.

7. In a sounding apparatus of the t e describc i, a signal transmitterfor emltting elastic waves into water, means for transforming incomingelastic waves transmitted through water into electrical oscillations, anamplifier connected to the last mentioned means, an output circuit forsaid amplifier, another circuit, a low voltage glow discharge tube inthe second mentioned circuit, a source of potential in said secondmentioned circuit, said source being of such voltage as to normallyimpress upon said tube a tension comprised between its upper criticalvoltage and its lower critical voltage, means operatively connected tosaid signal transmitter for causing the tension of said tube to suddenlytake a value outside of the above mentioned limits when a signal isemitted through said transmitter, means for causing the tension ofsaidtube to be brought back to a value within the above mentioned limitsa predetermined time after the signal has been sent out, means forcoupling said output circuit of the amplifier to said circuit of thetube so arranged that the reception of the echo will produce a variationof the voltage of said tube to a value outside of the above mentionedlimits in the same direction as that of the variation resulting from theemission of a signal, means for causing the tension of said tube to bebrought back to a value within the above mentioned limits apredetermined time after the echo has been received, and means forrecording the interval of time between the variations in the luminousstate of the tube.

.8. In a sounding apparatus of the type described, electrical means fortransmitting and receiving elastic waves through water, a stationaryglow discharge tube in said means, means for bringing the tube at atension near the tension at which a change occurs in its lighting state,means in series withsaid tube and adapted to cut OE and close thecircuit of said tube, means to operate said last mentioned means at thetime at which specification.

MARCEL L. TOULY an electric si nal is sent out means ada ted to maintainopen the circuit of the tube during the time of the emission signal andto cause said circuit to be closed a predetermined time after the signalhas been transmitted, means in series with said tube and adapted foraltering the excitation thereof, means for electrically connecting saidlast

